Gay Tantra [Paperback]

William Schindler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 23, 2001

Sex and spirituality are two topics guaranteed to arouse strong feelings in gay-identified persons because of the history of religious persecution of gay people. Many of us were taught explicitly or implicitly that sex, especially gay sex, is the opposite of spirituality. Gay popular culture thrives in the senses, be it opera, disco, or leather. Furthermore, our sensuality is deeply rooted in homoeroticism, in the inescapable fact that we inhabit bodies likely to be erotically stimulating to ourselves. We need a spirituality that works with our sensuality, not against it. Traditional Hindu Tantra offers us exactly this type of spirituality. GAY TANTRA reveals how traditional Hindu Tantra may be adapted to serve the unique spiritual aptitudes and needs of gay-identified persons of any gender. The book demonstrates how a fully integrated gay identity can be a positive aid in the quest for enlightenment.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

William Schindler obtained a B.A. in Sanskrit from UC Berkeley (1975), where he also studied Bengali and Hindi, and a Master's degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University (1986). He lived in India for two-and-a-half years from 1972-1977 first as a pilgrim, then as a student at Banaras Hindu University, and finally as a monk of the Ramakrishna Order. He has written novels, short stories, and numerous essays on gay spirituality. His non-fiction book, GAY TANTRA (Xlibris, 2000), is the definitive work on the topic of traditional Hindu Tantra adapted to the spiritual needs and aptitudes of gay-identified persons. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California, where he offers spiritual instruction and counseling for gay men.

Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris (April 23, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738849316
• ISBN-13: 978-0738849317
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #785,476 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gay Tantra - Reviewed by Living Traditions, September 3, 2001

By 

Dharma Sivan (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gay Tantra (Hardcover)

As we head into the new millennium the gay community is plagued with problems of alcoholism and drug abuse, it seems that as we have jettisoned the religions that oppressed us we replaced them with consumerism and nihilism. It is a sad reflection that so many of us are seeking something deeper but cannot easily find it. The monotheistic religions of the West have, at times, tried to accommodate gay and lesbian practitioners by becoming more "liberal", yet these attempts are, in my mind, patchy at best. Fundamentalism is still going strong. There are many Gay Christian organizations working hard to help those so inclined, yet so often, Biblical exegesis seems aimed at making excuses for the intolerance of the Bible and there is still a great ambiguity when it comes to pleasure and the human body. At times it seems that the western religions view of acceptance is homosexuals becoming like heterosexuals.

In the Dharmic religions, specifically Hinduism and Buddhism, there has been a long tradition of sexual tolerance. While certainly there has been inroads into these faiths by Puritanism, especially under the British in India, the core traditions remain very sex friendly. This is especially true of the Tantric traditions and those related to Shiva and Shakti. (Shaivism and Shaktism). It is also true that Vedanta and related schools and many branches of Buddhism have a more open approach.

At the same time there is little in print for the seeker wanting a Gay spiritual life. While the works of Alain Danielou, a great Shaivite, musician and scholar, who also happened to be gay, offers more theoretical information on sex positive aspects of Hinduism, there is little practical advise.

Gay Tantra is a unique book. It is not a text of training in "sexual prowess" as so often the term Tantra is misused today. It is a guide to a practical spiritual life for the modern gay man. It avoids the new ageism and superficiality of many modern gay spiritual books and expounds an extremely erudite view of traditional Tantra. What is so powerful is that this traditional approach is coupled with a praxis for the modern gay man. The author clearly has had a lifetime of experience in Tantra, Vedanta and the gay community and is able to offer his distilled wisdom for the benefit of the reader.

Gay Tantra is intelligent, articulate and erudite. It shows a deep understanding of the core of the mystical traditions of the east and especially those of Tantrism. At the same time it brings with it the experience of a gay male who has worked through the pain of internalized homophobia and the baggage that so many of us must carry. Together these two elements make this one of the most important books on Gay spirituality ever published.

As someone who has studied the Tantric traditions, especially Shaivism, for some years. It is a great privilege to find such an author, someone who understands the true nature of the tradition, has a good intelligent grasp of the heritage which he is transmitting and yet also appreciates the unique situation that the modern gay male is in. Schindler is hence able to offer us the voice of an experienced soul who is proud of his sexuality and his body. Gay Tantra is a profoundly practical book that gives us the keys to applying this age-old tradition in the modern world. It is surprisingly comprehensive, extremely well written, insightful and practical. There is an excellent section of exercises and lots of superb advise.

For those seeking to appreciate Gay love as a spiritual path this is a profound and moving work.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational, July 20, 2006

By 

W. Read "outlook's good" (Gulf Stream) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Gay Tantra (Hardcover)

"Tantra" in the west is often interpreted to mean an ecstatic experience with spiritual dimensions. This concise and well written book provides a larger cultural perspective that has been targeted to the needs of gay men. As a westerner, the "guru-master" element of the spirituality of the subcontinent must always remain foreign to me as a spiritual democrat. This book has been largely shaped by the views of one such 19th century guru.
But those heirarchical relationships are authentic to the culture of tantra. Heirarchical relationships are no problem for the gay man whose erotic interests are congruent with the leather/BDSM world, and this world is well represented on the author's Ashram West website. For gays interested in spirituality and/or tantra this book has a lot of value to offer.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on Tantra, January 7, 2009

By 

B. Wagner (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gay Tantra (Paperback)

When I got this book, I was concerned that it would be another watered down spiritual book for gay people with it sole aim to make us (gay people) feel better about ourselves. I also thought it may be a narrow, distorted version of tantra that is oh-so-common in the US. I was surprised to find that it was neither. In fact, it is a solid spiritual book aimed at introducing gay people to the powerful spiritual system of tantra. (And no this isn't about sex). Tantra, as it is so thoroughly explained in the book, is about finding the Divine in all aspects of life. It is about divinizing all of life to bring one into conscious awareness of God/Goddess and to attain final liberation. The author directs this book to gay people, but this book is excellent for anyone who wants to understand Tantra philosophy and practice better. As a gay man, this book is a refreshing find in the genre of spiritual books.